Apparatus for treating articles



Dec. 12, 1933. B. F. IRWIN Er AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed July 21, i930 '7 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. l2, 1933. B. F. 'IRWIN E-r AL APPARATUS FOR TREA'I'ING ARTICLES Original Filed July 21, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 7. Kaff/faery 03%? my Dec. 12, 1933, B. F. IRWIN Er Al.

APPARATUS Fon TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed July 21. 1,930 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 12, 1933. s. F. IRWIN er AL 1,939,054

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed July 2l, 1.930 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nrs MG VMW/ M7 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 B F IRWIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed July 21, 1930 Dec. l2, 1933.

Dec. l2, 1933. B. F. IRWIN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed July 21. 1930 um. @x

Dec. 12, 1933. B. F. IRWIN Er AL 1,939,054

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES Original Filed July 2l. 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 V UNITED STA APPARATUS FORTREATING ARTICLES `Bernard F. Irwin, Riverside, and. .Henning T. Tornberg, Chicago, Ill., assignofrsjto Western4 Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of N ew York Application July 2,1, 1930, `Serialllo. 469,390 Renewed May 416, A1933 20 Claims.

`This invention relates to an apparatus `for treating articles, and more particularly to an apparatus for roasting small carbon shapes.

An object of the invention is to `provide an ,eflicient and expeditious apparatus for processing articles.

In one embodiment of the invention carbon blocks which are formed in a molding press, are moved therefromand onto an endless belt where they are held until a predetermined number of blocks have been disposed in one or Ya pluralityfof lines, then the blocks are moved to a tray, which is .moved after each supply of blocks is disposed thereupon, until it is filled, and another tray is ,moved into a receiving position. After each tray is filled with blocks, it is moved toward and .into a preheating chamber where it is disposed in parallel spaced positions the preceding trays and the blocks are lheated to a predetermined temperature as the Vtrays are moved intermittently,

through the `preheating zone or chamber by Aa four-screw elevator to ahightemperature zone or chamber. The trays are then moved between heating coils of the high temperature zone or Vchamber Ywhere the blocks are roasted, -after which the trays carrying the carbon blocks are moved into engagement with another, four-screw elevator mechanism which moves the trays downwardly until they are removed successively and passed upon a Aframe which carries a dumping platform arranged to receive the `trays one at a time and move them into a vertical position so that the carbon blocks may be deposited in a chute and directed into receptacles. v

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in `connection vwith `the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view ofthe ap-v paratus; Y y

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the actuating mechanism of the apparatus shown in operative relation with the punch press;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, portions thereof being broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view takenfalong the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken sub-V stantially along theline-B-S of Fig. 1;

Fig. -9 lis a sectional view `taken along `the .line v9 9 of Fig..8;

Fig. -10 is atop .plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 1'1 .is .an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken alongthe line 11-,l1 of Fig. `1; Fig. 12 isa .fragmentary sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 12-12 of Fig. l1:

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13-13 of Fig. 2;

Fig. `14 isa sectional view taken along the line 14.-l4 of Fig. l; Fig. 15 is a top plan vie and Fig. 16 is `an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 16.-16 of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate the same parts throughout the several views, reference numeral 18 lindicates a molding press having la threepositioned dieset-up over which a reciprocating arm 19 is adapted to bedisposed due toits operative connection ywiththe press 18 (Figs. 2 and 5) The operative connection of the arm 19 with the press 1,8 is effected by a lever arm 20, `one end ofwhich `is connected t0 the arm 19 by a link 21, the other end beingroperatively connected to a Vdrum cam 2,2 through a cam arm 23. The drum` cam 22 is driven by a'main drive shaft 24 of the Lpress 18, the connection Vbeing made by'a gear 25 meshing with a pinion 26 of the main shaft 24. The purpose of the arm 21 -is to remove the carbon shapes or -blocks from the press and move them `ontoan endless belt 27 which passes over rollers 428,'297and 30 (Figs. 5and 6) and isdriven by a motor 31 (Fig. 2) which is operativelyconnected to the rollers 29 and 30. This operativeconnec-- `tion of the motor 31 with the rollers 29 and 3f) consists of a speed reducer 32 operatively connected to the motor 31 and having a chain and.. i sprocket connection 33 with a main shaft 34 which is disposedhorizontally in a main housing 35 and has its ends rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the housing. Another` horizontally disposed shaft 36 isrotatably carried by the housing `35 `and is driven continuously, due 'to a sprocketand chain connection'l with the shaft 34, and has bevelgears 38 and 139 mounted there- W of one of the trays, Y Y

on and meshediwith bevel gears 40 and 41, which are fixed to the adjacent ends of pulley shafts .4 2 `and 43. the opposite ends thereof having the pulleys 29 and 30 `rigidly mounted thereupon. .With lthis 'arrangement of mechanism the pulley 30 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, while the pulley 29 is rotated in a clockwise direction,'allowing the pulley 30 to move the belt 27 to convey the carbon shapes from the press 18 positioned at the right (Figs. 5 and 6). If desired, the belt may be extended from the pulley 29 to a pulley 28 of a press positioned at the left (Fig. 6) the pulley 29 driving the belt 27 in this position Vto convey carbon shapes from the press at the left. Y

A stacker and dispensing mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6 is positioned above the belt 27 and has a receiving member 47 provided with longitudinally extending ribs 48 providing recesses 49 for receiving the carbon shapes as they are moved onto the belt and against a stop member 50 (Fig. 6). The receiving member 47 has rollers 52 mounted at the rear thereof, the forward end thereof being pivotally secured to swinging arms 53 which are mounted upon a horizontal rocker shaft 54. An adjustable stop member 57 is arranged to limit the rearward movement with the receiving member 47 andresilient members 58 are carried by the swinging arms 53 for assuring the positioning of the receiving member 47 adjacent the stop member 57. The pivotal connection of the receiving member 47 with the swinging arms 53 is effected through elongated apertures 59 in the arms 53 to allow the movement of the receiving member 47 to be varied without varying the actuation of the arms 53, the spring 58 compensating for the variation in the movement of the arms 53 and that allowed by the stop member 57 of the receiving member 47. The actuation of the swinging arms 53 is eifected by an alternating upward and downward movement of a connection arm 62, the upper end of which is operatively connected with the shaft 54 (Figs. 3, 4, and 6) by a lever 63 and a lower end thereof being pivotally connected to one end of a cam actuated bell crank lever 64. A `roller 65 of thebell crank lever 64 is held in engagement with an eccentric cam 66 by a spring 67, the cam being mounted upona shaft 68 rotatably carried by the housing 35. The.V shaft 68 has a gear 70 mounted thereupon and in mesh With the gear 71 which is mounted upon the main shaft 34, thus Yoperatively connecting the shaft 68 with the shaft 34 (Fig. 7). Mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 68 is a crank arm 72 which is pivotally connected to one end of `a connecting rod 73, the other end thereof being adjustably secured to a pawl 74 which is pivotally secured to one end of a rocker arm 75, at 76, and disposed in operative gered elongated slots 87 therein. Engaging lugs 88`are carried by the chains 83-83 for this purpose. 'Asthe trays 86 are filled, they aremoved *i upon the angular frame 89 toward a preheating chamber 90 (Fig. 1) due to the abutting engagement of the trays with e'ach other and the movement imparted thereto by the chains 83. The trays 86, when they near-the preheating chamber'90, are moved into andfthrough the sealing' the Geneva gear is mounted.

-mechanism 107 receives its movement from the Vment therewith, a pair of the screws engaging each end of the trays at spaced positions (Figs. 8 and 9). An intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the screws simultaneously to move the trays upwardly during each intermittent motion and to allow another tray of carbon shapes to be moved into engagement with the screws of the elevator after each intermittent motion thereof. The intermittent motion is imparted to the screws of the elevator 93 by mechanism disposed in a casing 94 beneath the chamber 90. The screws of the elevator 93 have shaft portions 95 which are journaled in bearings in sealed casings 96 (Figs. 1 and 10). The lower ends of the screws of the elevator 93 have shaft portions 97 which extend through packing glands 98 in a wall 99 of the casing 94 are journaled in bearings 100 and have their lower ends disposed in packing glands 102 and extending into liquid receiving compartments 103-103. Two of the shaft portions 97 have pinions 104 fixed thereto and in mesh with bevel gears 105 which are rigidly mounted upon each end of a shaft 106. An oper-I ative engagement is had between a shaft 106 and a Geneva movement mechanism 107 by a pin-- ion 108 of Vthe shaft 106 meshing with a bevel gear 109 which is fixed to a shaft 110 upon which The Geneva continuous rotation of an arm 111 which is fixed 115 elevator 93 shown in Fig. 8, and in order to pro 120 vde a simultaneous intermittent movement to the other two screws of the elevator 93, the driven screws have gears 115 which arel operatively connected with gears 116 mounted upon their adjacent screw members by idlers 117.

As the trays with the carbon shapes thereupon are Amoved upwardly into the chamber 90, they are heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating passage 119, thus preparing the carbon shapes for a high temperature chamber 120, into which the trays with the carbon shapes are passed when theyreach the upper end of the elevator 93.

-When the trayswith the carbon shapes reach a predetermined position at the upper end of the elevator 93, an ejecting mechanism 121 (Figs. 1, 8, 9, and 10) is actuated to push the topmost tray through a sealing chamber 122 past baffle doors 123 Apositioned at each end thereof and onto spaced channel shaped frame members 124 extending longitudinally through the high tem- 1 perature chamber 120.

The ejecting mechanism 121 consists of a trayengaging member 125 which is mounted upon the inner end of a rack 126, the'latter being movably carried by a bracket y127 and having its 1 teeth'meshed with a gear 128. VThe gear 128 is Vfixedly mounted upon one end of a shaft 129,

whichis operatively connected to a shaft 130 by sprocket and chain connections 131 and 132, the

shaft 130 having a vgear 133 (Fig. 8) mounted 150 upon its inner end and inmesh Withalongi'tudinally moving rack 134. A back'and forth movement vis imparted to the rack 134by an alternating clockwise and counterclockwse movement of i a gear 135. This movemnt is imparted to the gear 135by an oscillating segment 140, the teeth of which are in mesh with a relatively small gear 141 fixed to thegear 135. The lower end of the segment 140 is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 142 held by a bearing'bracket 143 and has a cam roller 144 rotatably mounted adjacent the center of the arm of the segment 140 and receivable in a groove 145 of a drum cam 146, the latter being mounted upon the shaft `112 and continuously rotated thereby. As the trays 86 are removed from the elevator 93 and onto the frame members 122, they are moved between heating units 149 (Fig. 14) in the high temperature chamber 120 and are intermittently advanced to the right extremity ofthe chamber 120, where another four-screw elevator is disposed to receive the trays with' the carbon shapes and lower them to a position in alignment with the frame members 89.

'I'he elevatorat the right of the high temperature chamber 120 indicatedV generally at 150, which is disposed in a cooling zone or chamber 151 is substantially identical in construction to the elevator 93, and is controlled by a similar mechanism. The Vfour-screws of the elevator 150 have shaft portions 152 at the upper ends therey ends of the screws of the elevator 150 have shafts 154 which extend through packing glands 155 in a wall 156 of va casing 157, through bearings 158 and have their lower ends journaled in packing glands 159 and extending into liquidmreceiving chambers 160. The mechanism is disposed in the casing 157 for imparting intermittent rotary movement to the screws of the elevator 150 and is operatively connected to the shaft 112. By viewing Figs. 11 and 12, it will be observed that an arm 162 is mounted upon the l end of the-shaft 112within the 'casing 157 and has a rollerA 163 arranged to operatively engage a Geneva gear 164 which is fixed to a shaft 165`that is rotatably mountedin the casing 157; At one end of shaft 164 a bevel 'gear'.166 is disposed and is in mesh with a pinion 167 which is mounted upon a horizontal shaft positioned between two' of the shafts 154 and operatively connected thereto byV bevel gears V168 which are mounted upon the ends thereof and meshing with? pinions 169 of the shafts 154 (Fig. ll). The shafts 154 shown in Fig. 11 are operatively connected to their adjacent shafts by gears 170 meshing with idlers 171 which mesh with gears 172 of the adjacent shafts. Y

A cooling means is provided forthe elevators 93 and 150 which consists of a liquid supply line 220 Ifor directing a liquid such as water or oil into the cooling chambers 96 and 153; this liquid remove the lowermost tray from the elevator 151 and move it past a pivotal sealing door 176 and into an outlet compartment 17-7. The member 175 is carried by a rod 178 which-is slidable in bearings 179 and extends over a gear 182 which is rotatably mounted in a housing 35 vand in mesh with a toothed portion 183 formed inthe lower surface of the rod 178. A relatively small gear .184 is fixed to the gear 182 and is in mesh With 145 of the drum cam 146 (Figs. 3 and 6) As additional trays are removed from the ele- Vator 1.51, the previously removed trays are advanced through the outlet compartment '177 on tothe frame membersSQ and at each advance- 190 is tilted past a vertical position by a movej ment of the platform caused by the actuationY of a dumping mechanism effected by a return movement of the mechanism 175. The operative connection betweenthe dumpingplatform 199 and the ejector 175 consists of a gear segment 191 having one end fixed toa pivotal shaft 192 and the toothed end disposed in mesh with teeth of a quadrant 193, the quadrant being fixed to a shaft 194 to which the platform 190 is pivotally secured (Figs. 2 and 3). A lever l195 has one end fixed to the shaft 192, and the other end operatively connected to oneend of the rod 196, the other end of which extends through an aperturev in a bracket 197 and provided with a collar 198 which is secured thereto (Fig. l2). The rod 196 (Fig. 3) extends Vthrough an aperture in a frame 200 and has a sleeve 291 disposed concentric relative thereto adjacent the frame 200. A compression spring 202 is disposed concentric withV the rod 196 between the sleeve 201 and the lever 195 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A chute 203 ispcsitioned in front ofthe dumping platform 190 for receiving the carbon shapes as they are dumped from the trays. ,The lower portionof the chute indicated at 203 has forked members 204 and 205 for directing the carbon shapes into pans disposed therebeneath as controlled by a shutter 206.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the apparatus, the operation thereof will be more clearly understood. It is assumed that the operation of the molding press 18 is understood, the method of which the carbon shapes are formed being immaterial insofar as the present invention is concerned. In order that the'Y arm 21 may be actuated in timed relation with Ythe operation of the press so that the apertures therein will be in general alignment with the die openings while the punchl is moved downl wardly, the armk is moved by the operative connection with the drum cam 24 so as to move the carbon shapes upon the belt 27 while vthe punch isv moved upwardly. In the present disclosure three carbon shapes are formed at each actuation of the punch and these carbon shapes are moved forwardly upon the belt 27 until they are positioned within the recesses 49 of the receiving member 47. `The stop member 50 limits theA movement of the carbon shapes and after a `predetermined number of carbon shapes have been disposed in the recesses 49 upon the belt 27, the arms 58 of the stacker and dispensing mechanism (Fig. 4) is actuated by the'cam G6 .moving the bell crank lever 64 to move the connecting arm 62 downwardly and swing the arms 53 outwardly into the dotted line position (Fig. 4). As the arms 53 begin their movement outwardly, a shutter 210, which is held upwardly by the arms 53, is allowed to move downwardly to a position adjacent the belt 27, thus preventing additional carbon shapes from passing Vinto the recesses 49, and by further movement of the arms 55 outwardly the receiving member 47 is moved forwardly, the rear end thereof being supported by the rollers 52, while a pusher member 211, which is pivotally carried by the receiving member 47, is moved forwardly, thus pushing the carbon shapes off the belt 27, down a slide 212, and onto the adjacent vtray 86. are moved forwardly a predetermined distance on the actuation of the `sprocket 77 and the chains 83, each of the small notches of the sprocket being of sufficient depth to move the tray the distance of three carbon shapes. When one tray is filled, it is moved forwardly a desired distance and another tray is `moved in place to receive the carbon shapes. This additional or faster` movement of the trays is made effective by the relatively long teeth 213 of the sprocket 77. The returning of the stacker and dispensing mechanism to the normal position; that is, the position shown in solid line (Fig. 4), causes one of the arms 53, which is arranged to engage the shutter 210 to move the shutter upwardly and allow an additional supply of carbon shapes to be moved into the recess 49. The position of the receiving member 47 relative to the belt 27, may be varied by the adjusting stop member 57.

The trays of the carbon shapes are then moved towardthe preheating chamber 90 where they are moved into vengagement with elevator 93 after each intermittent motion of the elevator. Corresponding grooves in the `screws or" the elevator 93 will be arranged to receive the next tray and as shown in Fig. 8 the right and left screws have left-hand and right-hand threads, respectively, their adjacent vdriven screws being of like formation. The'intermittent rotation of the screws of the elevator 93 imparts an intermittent upward movement of the trays, allowing space after each intermittent movement for another tray to be placed upon the elevator, and any lateral movemen of the trays is toward a guide or abutment member 214, Fig. 9. A latch 215, which is mount-l ed upon the rack 134 (Fig. 3), advances the trays during the movement of the rack to the left so as to move the foremost tray onto the elevator 93 while the elevator is at rest. During the upward movement of the trays in the chamber 90 -the carbon shapes carried thereby are heated vto a temperatureranging from 450 F. to 600 F., and when the trays reach a predetermined position; that is, a position in alignment with the frame members 122 (Fig. 1) after a travel of approximately one and one-half hours, the topmost tray isremoved from the elevator 93, while a tray is placed in the lowermost position upon theelevator. This placing of a trayupon the elevator at the bottomthereof and removing of a tray from the elevator at the top thereof is effected by the actuation of the ejecting mechanism caused by the movement of the segment 140, the rocking of the gears 141 and 135, the longitudinal movement of the rack 134 with the latch 215 (Fig. 3), the actuation of the sprocket and chain connections 131 and 132 and the inward movement of the ejector mechanism 121.

The trays 86 y The trays 86 are moved directly from the preheating zone through Ythe sealing chamber 122 and into the high temperature zone and as they are advanced between the heating units 149 the carbon shapes carried thereby are heated to a red heat, during the time of approximatelytwenty minutes in which the trays pass througnthis Zone, the zone being heated to approximately 1600 F., and as a result the carbonous material passing off a gas, which, if mixed with air, would create combustion. As pointed out in the foregoing, the sealing chamber 91, and the outlet compartment 177 with the sealing door 176 are to prevent the admission of air into the preheating zone and the cooling zone, and, due tothe pressure of the gas in the zones, this result is effected. To allow for the excess gas in the zones to escape, a flue 220 is disposed in communication ,with the Zone 120 and is provided with a check valve 221 for varying the amount of gas escaping therefrom.

The actuation of the ejector mechanism 121 moves the trays intermittently through the high temperature zone, placing the farthest tray, during each movement, upon the elevator 150 which moves the trays intermittently through the cooling unit 174` and the cooling compartment thus cooling the carbon shapes from the temperature of approximately 1600 F. when removed from the high temperature zone, to a temperature of approximately 100 F. before the trays are ejected from the cooling compartment 151. The arrangement of the screws of the elevator' 150 are such that corresponding grooves therein will be posi-v tioned to receive a tray from the frame 122 of the high temperature zone after cach intermittent movement thereof, the right and left screws as shown in Fig. l1 with their adjacent screws having right-hand and left-hand threads respectively, to impart a downward movement to the trays which are held against lateral displacement by a guide or abutment member 216 (Fig. 12)

The ejector 175 at its operative engagement with the dumping platform 190 removes the trays from the elevator 151, advances a tray upon the dumping platform'190 during the movement to the left (Figs. 3 and 12) and during the return movement to the right, the mechanism (Fig. 3) for swinging the platform 190 into dumping position is actuated against the tensionof the spring 202. There is suflicient movement of the ejector 175 `toward the left to allow the spring 202 t0 c.

move the platform 190 beyond dead center and to allow the platform to move downwardly to the horizontal position before Yanother tray is moved thereupon.

From thisV disclosure, it is obvious that the entire mechanism is automatic in its operation from the removal of the carbon shapes from the press to the placing of the carbon shapes upon the trays, the lifting of the trays by theelevator 93 tol Vthem to the preheating chamber 90, the high `temperature chamber 120 where they are roasted,

`bon shapes through and to the atmosphere through the cooling champress employed -is shown positioned at oneside of the apparatus (Fig. 2), but it should be understood that a press positioned upon the opposite side of the apparatus could be Yemployed in connection therewith. In the present instance, the belt 27 is being driven by the pulley'BO, but if the press upon the opposite side of the apparatus is to beemployed, the belt 27 will be removed from the pulley 28 of the press shown and extended from `the pulley 29 to the opposite press. Then -mined number.' have been removed from the press, a tray, and means ''or depositing the predetermined nurnber oi carbon shapes upon said L tray. Y

2. The combination with a molding press forv molding carbon shapes, of means for removing the carbon shapes from the press, a high temperature chamber, meansV for moving the carsaid high temperature chamber, a cooling-chamber, means formo'ving the carbon shapes throughV said cooling chamber, means for removing the-carbon shapes from said cooling chamber, and means for ejecting the carbon shapes.

l3. The combination with a-molding press for molding carbon shapes, of a moving member, means for moving-the carbon shapes from the press onto said moving member, av receiving member disposed in close proximity WithA said movingmeans, means for retaining a` predetermined number of the-carbon shapes in said receiving means, and means for actuating said receiving-means when a predeterminednumber of carbon shapes Yhave been disposed therein for I ,removing the .carbonnshapes from said moving l member;

4. The combination with a molding press for molding carbon shapes, of a moving member, means for moving the carbon shapes from the press onto said moving member, a lreceiving member disposed in close proximity with said moving means, means for retaining a predetermined number of the carbon shapes in said receiving means, means for actuating said receiving means when a .predetermined number of carbon shapes have been disposed therein for moving the carbon shapes from said moving member, and means rfor checking the movement of the carbon shapes upon said moving member during the actuation of said receiving member.

5. The combination with a molding press for molding carbon shapes, of a moving member, means for moving the carbon shapes from the press onto said moving member, a receiving member disposed in close proximity with said moving means, means for retaining a predetermined number of the-carbon shapes in said receiving meana'means for actuating said receiving means when a predetermined number of carbon shapes have been disposed therein for moving the carbon shapes from said moving member, a tray e articles therefrom.

for receiving thecarbon shapes from said mov- 'ing member, and means for advancing `said tray i after each predetermined number of carbon lshapes is removed from said moving member.

6. The combination With a molding press for molding carbon shapes, of a moving member,

means for 'moving the carbon shapes from the i press onto said moving member, a receiving member disposed in close proximity with said moving `member, means for retaining a predetermined number of the carbon shapes in said receiving means, means for actuating said receiving means when a predetermined number of carbon shapes have been disposed therein for moving .the carbon shapes from said moving member, a tray for receiving the Vcarbon shapes from said moving member, means for advancing said tray after each predetermined number of carbon shapes is removed from said moving member, a high vtempera-ture chamber, and means for advancing said tray with the carbon shapes disposed thereupon through said high tempera- Y means for moving the trays with the articles into said preheating chamber, elevating means disposed in said preheating chamber for vmoving the trays with the articles through said preheating chamber, a high temperature chamber, and

means cooperating With said first named `tray ber, means for moving the trays from said preheating chamber into said .high temperature chamber, a cooling compartment, means disposed in said cooling compartment for receiving the trays with the articles rfrom said high temperature compartment and advancing the trays in said'cooling compartment, means'Y for removing the trays fromsaid cooling compartment,

for removing the trays from said cooling chamber, and Vmeans cooperating with said tray removing means for tilting the trays for discharging the articles therefrom.

10. In an apparatus for heating articles, a high temperature chamber, elevating means for moving the articles toward said high temperature chamber, means for removing the articles from said elevating means and moving the articles into said high temperature chamber, and means for cooling the elevating means.

11. In an apparatus for heating articles, trays for receiving the articles, means for elevating the trays, means for imparting intermittent motion to said elevating means, means for moving the trays with the articles into engagement with said elevating means while said elevating means is at rest, and means for removing said trays from said elevating mechanism. f

12. In an apparatus for treating articles, trays for receiving the articles, a preheating chamber, an elevatorl disposed in said preheating chamber, means for moving said trays with the articles onto said elevator, said elevator comprising 'a plurality of spiral screw members for engaging the trays at spaced positions, and means for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to said screw'members simultaneouslyv for moving said trays with the articles through said preheating chamber. e

13. In an apparatus for treating articles, means for removing articles to be treated from a press, means for receiving the `articles removed from the press, means for disposing the articles upon a tray, and means whereby articles may be removed from a second press, the operative connection with the iirst named Ypress being made ineffective. y

14. In an apparatus for treating articles, a conveyor, means whereby said conveyor may be operatively connected to a press for removing articles to'be treated from a press, a receiving member for receiving the articles from the press, a stop member for stopping the articles against movement relative to said conveyor. in Vsaid receiving member, a shutter for cutting or" asupply of articles to said receiving member, means whereby said conveyor when removed from said first named press may be operatively connected to a second press, and means whereby said stop' member and .said shutter may be arranged to stop the movement of the articles received from said second named press insaid receiving member, and cutting off the supply of articles from said second named press `to said receiving'member respectively. f

15. They combination with a molding press for molding articles, of means for 'conveying the articles from the press, and a reciprocating member 4movable between the press and said conveying means for moving the article from'the press upon saidy conveying means.

16. The combination with a molding press for molding articles, of means for conveying the articles from the press, an article moving member, and means for imparting intermittent movement to said article moving member whereby said article moving member may be moved into registration with the press, held at rest untilv the articlesy are molded, and moved toward said conveying means to move the molded articles thereupon.

17. The combinationwith a molding press for molding articies, of means for conveying the articles from the press, an article moving member, and means for imparting intermittent movement to said article moving member whereby said article moving member may be moved into registration with the press, held at rest until the articles are molded, moved toward said conveying means to move the molded articles thereupon, and moved again into registration with the press before the next molding operation.

, 18. In an apparatus for treating articles, trays for receiving the articles, means for moving the trays horizontally into a heating unit, a heating unit for heating the articles, an elevating means consisting of spiral members for engaging the tray/s at spacedpositions relative to the trays, means for actuating said spiral members intermittently for imparting anintermittent movement to the trays through said heating unit, and means actuated, when said spiral members are `at rest, for moving the trays into registration with said spiral members.

19. In an apparatus for treating articles, trays for receiving articles, a preheating chamber, a high temperature chamber, a cooling chamber, means disposed in said chambers whereby said trays may be moved therethrough, and means for simultaneously moving a tray into said preheating chamber, moving a tray from said preheating chamber into said high temperature i chamber, moving a tray from said high temper- `ature chamber intosaid cooling chamber, and

moving a tray from said cooling chamber.

20. An apparatus for treating articles, comprising a preheating chamber, a high temperature chamber, a cooling chamber, a plurality of traysV for receiving the articles, and means for successively advancing the trays through said chambers. 1

BERNARD F. IRWIN. HENNING T. TORNBERG. 

